Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 11, 1945)

@ THE PICK OF THE PICTURES REVIEWS INFORMATION RATINGS Vol. 10, No. 15 A. W. PERRY General manager of EmpireUniversal Films, who has been appointed president of that company by Paul L. Nathanson. Colleagues Kudo Dale and Main Ralph Dale and Dick Main, both of whom resigned recently from Odeon Theatres of Canada, were the guests of honor at two separate occasions arranged by the staff and executives of the company last week. Both have been with the company since its early days in 1941. Dale was chief buyer and booker and Main was a supervisor. They resigned to enter into partnership with Sam Fingold, assuming administrative responsibilities for the circuit formerly under his guidance. Odeon executives gave a luncheon at the Royal York in honor of their former colleagues, at which the company was represented by the Hon. Ear] Lawson, K.C., and T. J. Bragg. Paul Nathanson, president and general manager, was on the Pacific Coast at the time. Dale and Main were presented with a cheque as a gift from their former colleagues. The staff of Odeon Theatres presented Dale and Main with pen sets at an office party. Joe O'Brien Passes Joseph O’Brien, editor of Universal newsreel since 1938, pass ed away in New York recently. He was 45. REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK Here Come The Co-Eds with Bud Abbott, Lou Costello Universal 87 Mins. FAST AND FURIOUS ENTERTAINMENT IS LAVISH TREAT FOR ABBOTT-COSTELLO FANS. “Here Come the Co-eds” should ‘in the unqualified endorsement .. the Abbott-Costello fans. In it the comedians run berserk, scattering corn and slapstick with a lavishness that sets a new record for them. While the material in great part is woefully ancient, it still is guaranteed to draw gales of laughter from persons whose tastes for humor are low-brow. Under Jean Yarbrough’s direction the comedy stars set a furious pace, not letting down for 2 moment until the finish and displaying all their familiar tricks to wheedle laughs from the audience. Setting a new high for them are three sequences, one in which Costello has a tussle with an oyster in a stew, another in which he swallows a pair of dice and a third in which he disguises himself as a girl to play on a femme basketball team. Those who might find the brand of comedy in this film not exactly to their liking will derive much pleasure in a number of musical interludes employing the talents of Phil Spitalny and his Hour of Charm all-girl orchestra featuring Evelyn and her violin. As an added concession to them the film offers Peggy Ryan in a couple of sequences in which she sings and dances. The story has Abbott and Costello as assistants to Lon Chaney, head caretaker of a girls’ college at which Martha O’Driscoll, Costello’s sister, an entertainer, is enrolled as a publicity stunt. CAST: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Peggy Ryan, Martha O'Driscoll, June Vincent, Lon Chaney, Donald Cook, Charles Dingle, Richard Lane, Joe Kirk, Bill Stern, Phil Spitalny and all-girl orchestra. CREDITS: Producer, John Grant; Direc-’ tor, Jean Yarbrough; Screenplay, Arthur T. Horman, John Grant; Based on story by Edmund L. Hartmann; Cameraman, George Robinson; Art Directors, John B. Goodman, Richard H. Riedel; Sound Director, Bernard B. Brown; Set Decorators, Russell (A. Gausman, A. J. Gilmore; Film Editor, Arthur Hilton; Special Effects, John P. Fulton; Musical Director, Edgar Fairchild; Musical numbers staged by Louis Da Pron. DIRECTION, Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, Okay. Odeon In Toronto Odeon’s Toronto first-run house, to be erected in the future, will share the location of the head office building on Carlton, near Yonge, Music for Millions with Margaret O’Brien, Jimmy Durante, June Allyson MGM 120 Mins. HIGHLY SENTIMENTAL FILM DISTINGUISHED BY MUSICAL CONTENT; DURANTE STANDOUT. Joe Pasternak’s new production is a large and palatable serving of music and tears with a garnish of comedy. The picture possesses gloss and expansiveness in keeping with the Pasternak custom of giving a film the finest of production values. Of primary appeal to the women is a highly sentimental story that will bring plenty of moisture to their optics. The presence of Jose Iturbi guarantees the musical content of the film. He plays the conductor of an orchestra largely composed of femmes, among whom is June Allyson, around whose impending motherhood revolves most of the story. Sadness turns to joy when the report that her soldier husband is dead proves to be false. Margaret O’Brien is prominent as her kid sister who tries to ease her burden.. Jimmy Durante, orchestra handy man who watches over the two girls, nearly steals the show. The music is high-class, Dvorak, Grieg, Herbert, Debussy, Tschaikovsky, Liszt, Handel and Chopin being among the composers heard. The playing of Handel’s “Messiah” oratorio is the musical climax of the film. The screenplay of Myles Connolly, none too believable, has been directed well by Henry Koster. CAST; Margaret O’Brien, Jose Iturbi, Jimmy Durante, June Allyson, Marsha Hunt, Hugh Herbert, Harry Davenport, Marie Wilson, Larry Adler, Ben Lessy, Connie Gilchrist, Katharine Balfour, Helen Gilbert, Mary Parker, Madeleine LeeBau. CREDITS: Producer, Joe Pasternak; Director, Henry Koster; Screenplay, Myles Connolly; Musical Director, Georgie Stoll; Musical Adaptor, Georgia Stoll; Orchestration, Joseph Nussbaum, Ted Duncan, Calvin Jackson; Cameraman, Robert Surtees; Recording Director, Douglas Shearer; Art Directors, Cedric Gibbons, Hans Peters; eSt Decorators, Edwin B. Willis, Helen Conway; Film Editor, Douglas Biggs. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine. “a John Heggie Back John Heggie, popular FPCC head office booker who has been in the RCAF for several years, will return to his job. Cowan's ‘Free Press' Lester Cowan, producer of “Tomorrow, the World” and “G.I. Joe” (unreleased yet) will make “Free Press’ as his next. $2.00 Per Annum Here Come The Waves with Bing Crosby, Betty Hutton, Sonny Tufts Paramount 99 Mins. DANDY GROSS-GRABBING MUSICAL ROMANCE WHICH WILL DELIGHT ALL FILMGOERS. Studded with romance, lilting tunes, comedy and pep, this new Mark Sandrich produced and directed offering is the stuff dream-grosses are made on. With Bing Cresby and Betty Hutton to deliver the music score vocally, and stalwart Sonny Tufts as rival for the Hutton hand, the footage has great pulling power. As a boon to the war effort, dealing as it does with the Waves,— and bound to sharply stimulate recruiting for that service—, the picture is a honey. Standout songs include “There’s a Fella Waitin’ in Poughkeepsie,” “I Promise You,’ “That Old Black Magic,” and the especially meritorious “Let’s Take the Long Way Home,” and “Accent-TchuAte the Positive.” Crosby handles his varied assignments ably, and the screenplay gives full play to Betty Hutton’s versatility. Bing is very appropriately cast as the crooner, idol of the bobby-socks swooners. He joins the Navy, falls in love with one of twin sisters in the Waves (Hutton plays the role of both), finally wins her, and after producing a big traveling stage shows for the Waves, sails away to the Pacific war. One of the many comedy highlights is a belly-laugh sketch, “If Waves Acted Like Sailors.” CAST: Bing Crosby, Betty Hutton, Sonny Tufts, Ann Doran, Gwen Crawford, Noel Neill, Catherine Craig, Marjorie Henshaw. CREDITS: Producer Director, Mark Sandrich; Screenplay, Allan Scott, Ken Englund, Zion Myers; Music, Harold Arlen; Lyrics, Johnny Mercer; Musical Direction, Robert Emmett Dolan; Cameraman, Charles Lang; Art Director, Hans Dreier, Roland |Anderson; Film Editor, Ellsworth Hoagland; Special Effects, Gordon Jennings, Paul Lerpae; Process Photography, Farciot Edouart; Sound, Hugo Grenzbach, John Cope; Set Decorations, Ray Moyer. DIRECTION, Top-Flight. PHOTOGRAPHY, Ditto. 20th Cent'y Theatres Gets Three Houses Film exchanges were notified by 20th Century Theatres that the company had assumed the operation of three houses in Toronto, the Bedford, Belsize and Circle. The first two were formerly under Famous Players and the third was operated by H. Freedman. ee